Umbrella frame



Aug. 15, 1939.

K. KORTENBACH \UMBRELLA FRAME Filed June 28, 193B 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 15, 1939. K. KORTENBACH UMBRELLA FRAME Fild June 28, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I nrsvfar:

Patented Aug. 15, 1939 with STATES PATENT FFKE Application June 28, 1938, Serial No. 216,377 In Germany June 28, 1937 5 Claims.

The invention relates to umbrella frames provided with telescopic sticks and rib members. It has .already been proposed in connection with such umbrella frames to pivot the stretcher that 5 is hinged to the outer rib member on a sleeve guided along the inner rib member. This guide sleeve may be drawn or pushed outwardly until it comes into a position against a projecting sleeve on the outer end of the inner rib member. To en- 10 sure that the cover shall be evenly stretched as the umbrella is being opened, a relatively strong helical spring secured to the runner as Well as auxiliary stays or stretchers are necessary in such frames; this, however, increases the cost of 5 production.

According to the invention a latch-locking device controlled by the movement of the stretcher (on the opening of the umbrella) about its pivotal point on the sleeve, is provided between the inner 20 rib member and the stretcher.

' In an advantageous construction of umbrella frame according to the invention, a spring latch is hinged close to the outer end of the stretcher; this spring latch bears, in the locked position,

25 against a stop or the like on the inner rib member and is disengaged in the closed position of the rib members.

When the parts are arranged in accordance with the invention, the cover does not need to Q be exactly cut for a particular length of rib as the distance from the tip of a rib to the edge of the crown of the rib when the umbrella is opened by lever action of the latch, is greater than when the frame is extended but closed. Further,

the length of the ribs adapts itself to a wet and thereby shortened cover when the frame is extended but closed.

An umbrella constructed according to the invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view on a reduced scale of an open umbrella frame according to the invention.

Figure-2 is a side elevation partly in section of 1 a connecting hinge, between the rib members and the stretchers in the position shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows the connecting hinge with the rib members, parallel to the umbrella stick.

50 Figure 4 is an underneath view of the brokenoff outer end of the inner part of the rib.

Figure 5 shows in perspective a detail from Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 6 is a modified construction of the con- 5 necting hinge according to Figure 2.

Figure 6a shows in perspective the latch on an enlarged scale.

Figure '7 is a section on the line VII-VII of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a section on the line VIIIVIII of 5, Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a modified construction of the connecting hinge according to Figures 2 and 6; and

Figures 10 and 11 are detailed views of the construction according to Figure 9 in elevation and 10 perspective respectively.

Referring to the drawings, 8 and 2 are the sections of the umbrella stick, and 3 and l are the parts of the rib, which, as shown in Figure 2, are joined to the stretcher 6 by means of a sleeve 5 guided by the inner part 3 of the rib. The inner part 3 of the rib is, in the usual manner, secured to the crown l and the stretcher 6 to the runner 8. Figure 2 shows more clearly how the stretcher 6 is pivotally connected to the outer part 4 of the rib by means of a pin 9; the stretcher 6 is for this purpose forked. Hinged within the fork on a hinge pin II is a latch Ill which bears against a constricted part l2 of the part 3 of the rib in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. The pin 9 passes through lateral lugs on the sleeve 5, and also through a hole in the bent end of the outer part 4 of the rib, so that the sleeve 5 moves with the stretcher and the outer part l of the rib.

It will be seen that the sleeve 5 is guided on the inner part 3 of the rib.

' Disposed around the pin H is a helical spring |3 whose outwardly bent ends 13a and idb press against the sleeve 5 and the latch Ill respectively.

According to Figure 3, when the umbrella is completely closed and extended, and the outer ends of the ribs are held together, the stretcher 6 lies parallel to the part 3 of the rib, and the sleeve 5 is not arrested by the latch ill, as in that case the latch I6 is prevented from engaging 40 with the constriction l2 by the rivet 9. Consequently the sleeve 5 can move away from a sleeveshaped stop I4 at the outer end of the inner part 3 of the rib.

If the outer ends of the extended part 4 of the rib are released, the part l3a of the spring l3 acts as a spreading spring and forces the stretchers 6 and the sleeve 5 apart. When the runner is moved towards the crown 1 the stretcher 6 is swung about the pivotal point 9 of the sleeve 5, and in the position according to Figure 1, the sleeve 5 is pressed against the stop Hi and the latch l0 prevents an inward movement on the inner part 3 of the rib. The movement of the runner on the stick I, 2 is limited by the sleeve 1 5.

As will be seen from Figure 6, the spring I3 may instead of pressing on the latch, as shown in Figure 2, from outside, lie on the inner side oi the latch and hold it in the locked position by means of the arm [3b. The sleeve 5 in the construction shown in Figure 6 is provided with two inwardly bent lugs 5 which hold the inner part 3 of the rib as shown in Figure 8. Two holes [6 are then formed to permit the sewing on of the cover. ,In this case the arm [3a of the spring I3 is guided between the lugs on the sleeve 5, and these lugs are closed by being bent over, at the end of the sleeve adjacent the stop M.

In the construction according to Figure 9 the arm l3b of the spring I3 is formed as a latch, engaging in recesses I 'I in the inner part 3 of the rib.

It will be understood that the latch locking device may be constructed in various ways. It is important that the latch locking device shall not prevent the sleeve from moving towards the tip of the umbrella when the latter is completely closed and that the sleeve shall press against the stop I4 when the umbrella is open and prevent inward movement towards the tip of the umbrella.

The fork of the stretcher acts as a stop for the locking latch when the umbrella is open so that the inner part of the rib is held a certain distance away from the stretcher.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. An umbrella frame comprising in combination telescoping umbrella stick and rib sections, a runner, stretchers pivoted to the runner and to the inner ends of the outer rib sections, sleeves slidable on the inner rib sections and connected in an articulated manner to the stretchers and to the outer rib sections, latches for locking the outerrib members against an inward movement when the umbrella is open, stops on the inner rib sections for the said latches, spreading springs arranged on the outer ends of the stretchers and cooperating with the ribs as well as with the latches, and stops on the outer ends of the inner rib members for limiting the outward movement of the outer rib members'the distance be tween the said two stops being greater than the length of the slidable sleeves so that the said sleeves can slide between the two stops when the umbrella is extended but not open. I

2. An umbrella frame comprising in combination telescoping umbrella stick and rib sections, a runner, stretchers pivoted to the runner and to the inner ends of the outer rib sections, sleeves slidable on the inner rib sections and connected in an articulated manner to the stretchers and to the outer rib sections, latches for locking the outer rib members against an inward movement when the umbrella is open, the inner rib sections being channel shaped in cross section, raised stops pressed from opposite sides of each of the inner rib sections for the said latches, spreading springs arranged on the outer ends of the stretchers and cooperating with the ribs as well as with the latches, and stops on the outer ends of the inner rib members for limiting the outward movement of the outer rib members, the

distance between the said two stops on the inner and outer rib sections being greater than the length of the slidable sleeves so that the said sleeves can slide between the two stops when the umbrella is extended but not open.

3. An umbrella frame comprising in combination telescoping umbrella stick and rib sections, a runner, stretchers pivoted to the runner and to the inner ends of the outer rib sections, sleeves slidable on the inner rib sections and connected in an articulated manner to the stretchers and to the outer rib sections, latches for locking the outer rib members against an inward movement when the umbrella is open, stops on the inner rib sections for the said latches, helical spreading springs arranged on the outer ends of the stretchers and cooperating with the ribs as well as with the latches, and stops on the outer ends of the inner rib members for limiting the outward movement of the outer rib members, the distance between the said two stops being greater than the length of the slidable sleeves so that the said sleeves can slide between the two stops when the umbrella is extended but not open.

4. An umbrella frame comprising in combination telescoping umbrella stick and rib sections, a runner, stretchers pivoted to the runner and to the inner ends of the outer rib sections, sleeves slidable on the inner rib sections and connected in an articulated manner to the stretchers and to the outer rib sections, helical spreading springs arranged on the outer ends of the stretchers and cooperating with the ribs as well as with the latches, and stops on the outer ends of the inner rib members for limiting the outward movement of the outer rib members, one end of each of the helical springs being designed as a latch for locking the outer rib members against an inward movement when the umbrella is open, stops on the inner rib sections for the said latch, the distance between the said two stops being greater than the length of the slidable sleeves so that the said sleeves can slide between the two stops when the umbrella is extended but not open.

5. An umbrella frame comprising in combination telescoping umbrella stick and rib sections, a runner, stretchers pivoted to the runner and to the inner ends of the outer rib sections, sleeves slidable on the inner rib sections and connected in an articulated manner to the stretchers and to the outer rib sections, helical spreading springs arranged on the outer ends of the stretchers and cooperating with the ribs as well as with the latches, one end of each of the helical springs being designed as a latch for locking the outer rib members against an inward movement when the umbrella is open, the inner rib sections being channel shaped in cross section, stops extending inwardly from opposite sides of each of the inner rib sections for the said latches, and stops on the outer ends of the inner rib members for limiting the outward movement of the outer rib members, the distance between the said two stops being greater than the length of the slidable sleeves so that the sleeves can slide between the two stops when the umbrella is extended but not open.

KARL KORTENBACH. 

